The leader of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert, aka Bobi Wine, is set to replace Mathias Mpuuga as the Leader of Opposition (LOP) in Parliament, whom he has accused of working with Museveni to pass the anti-homosexuality bill.
According to Julius Katongole, one of the assistants to Bobi Wine and also the NUP youth leader in Lubaga Division, his boss recently held a top-level meeting with his confidants to determine Mpuuga’s replacement following a fallout between the two party leaders over their stance on LGBTQ rights.
Katongole stated that Mpuuga had earlier been red-listed after he allegedly negotiated with President Museveni for the release of Members of Parliament Allan Ssewanyana and Muhammad Ssegirinya, who had been imprisoned for about two years.
“Working with NRM to pass the anti-homosexuality bill without Bobi’s consent sealed his [Mpuuga] fate,” Katongole said.
Katongole’s assertions have been corroborated by Bobi Wine’s actions and his recent interview with the BBC, where he said that the NUP MPs who supported the passing of the anti-homosexuality bill into law are working with Museveni. Bobi Wine made the statement when a BBC journalist asked him why his MPs supported the law he doesn’t support.
“In my party, I have people working with Museveni,” he replied.
The NUP President, who is currently on a European tour, travelled with John Baptist Nambeshe, who is rumoured to be the incoming LOP, as he prepares him for the new task.
Another insider has revealed that Bobi Wine is introducing Nambeshe as the new LOP to NUP’s foreign funders, mostly from the LGBT community, who had threatened to withdraw their support from the party over its support for the anti-homosexuality law.
Analysts believe that the move is aimed at showing Bobi’s loyalty to the LGBTQ community, who are allegedly the NUP’s biggest funders and his top promoters in the west.
